Paper-folder.



L. A. NiCHOLS.

PAPER FOLDER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 13. 1916.

Patented Dec. 18, 191?.

6 SHEETSSHEET 1.

We Jawa'SJQ//Z6%0Z5 L. A. NICHOLS.

PAPER FOLDER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 33. 1916.

Patented Dm 18,1911

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Ms b. M. .n w

Ital! 1-1L: a MU z\ J L. A. NECHOLS.

PAPER FOLDER,

APPLICATION men JAN. x3. 19:6.

Patented Dec. 18, 191?.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

L. A. NICHOLS.

PAPER FOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. I3. 1916.

Patented Dec. 18,1911 4 6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

L. A. NICHOLS.

PAPER FOLDER- APPLICATION FILED JAN- I3. 1916.

1,250,339. Patented Dec. 18,1917.

6 swans-swans.

L. A. NICHOLS.

PAPER FOLDER.

, APPLICATION men JAN. 13. 1916.

Patented Dec. 18, 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

UNITED S TE F AT N OFFICE.

LEWIS A. NICHOLS, or crr oa'eo, ILLINOIS;

PAPER-FOLDER. 7

Specification of Petcers Patent. 7 Patented Dec. 18, 1917.

Application filed January 13, i91e; Serial Nb. 71,865.

To all whom it may concern); V V

Be it known that I, Lewis A.- NICHOLS, a citizen of thejUnited States, residing. at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, .have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Papers Folders, of Which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof. p he purpose of this. invention is to provide an improved mechanism for the purpose of folding paper strips zigzag. It consists of the elements and features of construction shown and described as indicated M the claims.

In the drawings: Y Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying this invention. 7 i Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical'longitudinal section at-the line 3-3 on Fig. 2.

'F'g. 4 is a vertical transverse section at the line 44 on' Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section at the line 55 on Fig. 2.5

Fig. 6 is adetail section at the line 6-6 on Fig.3. i Fig. 7 is a plan section takenas indicated at the line 77 on Fig. 1. T, I

The machine illustrated in the drawings comprises main frame standards, 1, and 2, in which are mounted the shafts of the several paper-feed rolls and other devicesljextending across the entire width of the path of the paper, and upon one of which are 'journaled the various wheels of. the gear train for operating said rolls and other devices. It comprises also a shelf or table, 3, for holding the paper to be-fed to'the folding devices, which shelf is designed to be mounted 'either directly adjacent to I the standards, 1, and 2, or at a distance therefrom when there is interposed between-the said shelf and the standards, paper slitting apparatus whose frame, 4, is in that case adapted to be connected to the standards, 1, and 2, and to have the shelf connected to its opposite end, as seen 'inFig. 1. I I

The mecha'nismon the standards, 1, will first be described; Mounted upon thestandards, 1, 2, andextending rigidly from one to the other, there are two platens 5, 5, one

above .and the other belowthe path of the wpaper. and having theirffproximate ends spaced apart only sufficiently to afford a i -convenient free ,path;, for thepaper between them. Each platen a rift, 5*, extending through the platen from the end which faces r the paper to the opposite end, and also' extending through so much of the length of the platen as covers the entire width of the paper-to be creased and folded bythe machine. Most conveniently the platens are produced with this rift by making them eachof two blocks separated by spacers, 6,

- '6,near the ends and bound together rigidly,

which is most conveniently effected by means of the bolts, v7, which bind the platens rigidly to the cross bars, 8, 8, which connect the two standards,l, 2,-of the main frame ofithe machine. In the rifts, 5 there are mounted for reciprocation toward and from the path of travel of the paper -between the platens V creaser blades, ,9, 9, each made of athin steel plate and provided with a head by means of blocks, 10, 10, bolted. on opposite sides of I the steel plate at the end .remotefrom the path of the paper. These heads are fitted between the opposite cross bars, 8, 8,.for .slidingjt'oward and fromthe platen; and springs, l0 are interposed between these heads and the platens respectively, reacting tohold the creaser blades'withdrawn from the path of the. paper. The edges of the creaser blades toward the path of the paper --are somewhat sharpened for. creasing the paper, but dull enough, to avoid cutting it when the creaser blades respectively are thrust across the. path of the paper and slightly into the rift of the oppositeplatens respectively. For operating the creasing blades to thrust them as described against the paper, there are journal ed in'the standards land 2, at theuppe-r end of the upper jplaten and at the lower end of the lower platen,ishafts, 11, 11, carrying rotating cam disks, 12, 12, .each havinga cam projection, 12?, which in the rotation of the cam disk encounters a cam projection, 10 on the proximate creaser heads, 10, and thrusts the icreaser toward the, path of the paper from which it is retracted by the, springs, 10,

cam projections, 10 r when'thecam projections, 12*, pass by the The train for operatlng the paper feed ;r olls and reciprocating the creasing blades 1 comprises a pulley, 20, on a icounter' shaft, 21, driven by a belt, 22*, from a pulley, 22, 'nthe shaft of amotor, 23. Abelt, 20f,

{ fromsmall pulley,,20", onthe shaft, 2,1, ?p as b i t .le ger pull yi 2 fast e a j;-

shaft, 24, there is rigidly mounted initial cone pulley, A of a variable feed transmission device comprising with said initial cone pulley a companion cone pulley, A and a belt, A which connects the two cone pulleys. The shaft, 30, of the cone pulley, A carries rigidly a gear, 31, which by means of intermediate idler gears, 31 31 drives the gear, 33, fast on the lower one "of the shafts, l1, and said gear, 33, by means of equal gears, 35, 35, meshing with and driving a companion gear, 33, on the upper shaft, 11, rotates said two shafts, 11, 11, synchronously for causing them to reciprocate the creasing blades by means o-fthe cam projections above described.

The paper to be creased and folded, whether entering from the shelf, 3, or from the slitting apparatus, 4, is fed toward the platens by the feed rolls, 27, only when the coiiperating pressure roll, 60, is let down upon the paper above said feeding rolls, and the operation of this roll, 60, is controlled by means of abutments, 26, mounted on the side of the gear, 26, for rotation continuously by the shaft, 26, said abutments, 26 being positioned for encounter with the lever arm, 61*, of the rock-shaft, 61, suitably journaled on the standards, 1 and 2, and carrying the roll, 60, by means of spring arms, 62, projecting from said rock shaft. The roll, 60, is pressed upon the paper by the weight of the parts carried overhung from the rock-shaft, 61, ashereinafter described, but the spring arms, 62, permit slight inequalities to pass without transmitting movement to the rock shaft and the overhung parts and thus insure smoother action than would be obtained with rigid arms. The roll, 60, is lifted from the paper as often in each revolution of the shaft, 26", as the abutments, 26, come around and encounter the lever arm, 61 as above described. The abutments, 26 are held to the gear, 26, by bolts, 26 which can be tightened to hold them either in operative position for encountering the lever arms, 61 or out of such operative position, and one abutment only, or two oppositely situated abutments or all four of the abutments vshown can be secured in operative position,

can be provided equally spaced on the side of the'gear, 26, to lift the roll, 60, any desired number of times in each revolution of the gear. During the-time theroll, 60, is

hereinafter lifted, the operator will push the paper sheet forward over the feed roll, 27, and against the gage, 65. The gage, 65, consists ofa plurality of fingers mounted on a rod, 66, carried by slides, 66, guided in slideways, 66", mounted on the frame standards and operated by a lever arm, 64, extended from the rock shaft, 61, and connected to the slides, 66-, by links, 66. This connection causes the gage, 65, to be withdrawn from the path of the paper when the pressure roll, 60, is lowered onto the feed rolls, and to be lifted into the path of the paper when the pressure roll, 60, is lifted from the feed roll. For the purpose of permitting accurate adjustment of the gage, 65, so that the ends of the gage fingers will withdraw below the path of the paper when the latter is engaged for feeding by the pressure roll, 60, descending onto the feed roll, the lever arms, 64, are mounted loosely on the rock shaft, 61, and are adjusted thereabout rela' tively to the roll-carrying arms, 64, by providin them each with a two-part hub, 64, 64", the part, 64*, having lugs, 64, between which a finger, 64 of the hub member, 64 projects, adjusting screws, 64 64 being set in opposite directions through lugs, 64, 64,

which engage between them the finger, 64

The mode of adjustment by these screws will be obvious. Inasmuch as the pressure roll, 60, is lowered onto the paper and the gage is depressed for clearing the path of the paper in a definite timein the operation of the train, these movements being caused by the encounter of one of the abutments, 26*, on the gear 26, with the lever arm, 61 of the rock shaft, 61, the movement of the paper is started from a definite point afforded by the position of the gage at a definite time in the operation of the train whichcomprises the cams which operate the creasing blades, so that a definitely pre determined length of paper from the end is caused to pass by the creasing blades before the first of them is operated for creas- 111g.

The foregoing description treats of only one feed roll, 27, and one pressure roll, 60,

coiiperating with the feed roll; but prefer ably and as illustrated, I mount on the shaft, 26*, a plurality of feed rolls, 27, so that they or one or more of them may be adjusted to any desired positions on the shaft according to the width of the entire paper or of the strips into which it is cut. These rolls or so many of them as may at any time be in service may protrude up through slots, in the table, onto which the paper is advanced by the operator from the shelf, 3, or by the means provided from the shifting devices described. Correspondingly, there are provided a plurality of pressure rolls, 60, which may be secured as described "in posit-ionsvon the shaft, 61, suitable-for sired plurality.

right hand margin, a strip whose width causes it to reachand lap the particular slot selected. Enough slots may be provided in the entire width of the table so that what ever be the width of the strips into which the sheet may be slitted, suitable slots n be selected for positioning under them on the shaft, 26 ,feed rolls which willengage respectively the several strips. The particular number shown is not to be understood as signlficant except as indlcating anyde- The distance between the consecutive creases and folds of the paper will obviously be determined byjthe relation between the'speeds of'the feeding devices and the creasing blade operating devices, and for varying the distance between the creases,

the variable speed transmission device, A,

is provided betweenthe trains which operate respectively the feed roll, 27, and the shafts, 11', by adjusting the transmission belt, A along thecone pulleys, A and A". This speed relation may be changed as desired to any degree however small, and it is thereby rendered possible'to make the paper folds of any desired width within the capacity of the machine.

When a wide sheet of paper is to be cut into strips, each of which is to be folded, the paper slitting apparatus, B, may be interposed between the shelf or table, 3, and ledge or chute board, 70, which leads to the feed roll, 27. This slitting appara'tuscomprises upper and lower parallel shafts, 80, 80, at the entering end, and similar upper and lower parallel shafts, 81, 81, at the discharge end, the shafts, 80, 80,'having narrow belt pulleys, 80 distributed along their length at. intervals corresponding to the width of" the strips to be 'cut, disk cutters, 82, as illustrated, and preferably, also belt pulleys, 80 are provided on the'shaft for each strip to be cut, that is, between each two consecutive cutters and outside of each i of the extreme cutters, 82. ,The meeting plane of the belts, 84, 84:, which pass around the belt wheels of the upper shafts and those which pass around the lower shafts is the plane of the table or shelf, 3, the papers each advanced from that table enter nornlally between the two contacting plies of the upper and. lower' belts and are lightly engaged therebyfor feeding. To-render the feed more effective, belttighteners, 85, are provided consisting of pressure rolls indicated' as carried" upon-the ends'of lever arms, 86, of rock shafts, 87-,jou'rnaled so as 'to' extend between the upper and lower plies of the'two belts respectively, the tight lower belt. Further to increase the grip of the belt upon'the paper'to be fed, a pressure roller, 87, may be provided carried-by lever arms, 87*, of a rockshaft, 87, mountedbetween the two plies of theupper belt, said pressure roller bearing downward upon the inner or upper side of the lowerply of the uppenbelt,'and pressing ittoward the lower belt. It will be understood that the disk cutters, 82, operate as rollin'gshears, the

corresponding cooperating cutters upon the upper and lower shafts respectively having their proximate faces fiat and lapping by each other as illustrated.

:For controlling the paper movement after -it passes by the feed roll, 27, to insure its.

proper position between the platens at the time of the operation of the creasing blades,

feed rolls, 90, 90 are provided, oneibelow; and the other above the path of the'paper,

just before it enters between" the platens.

The upper roll, 90 is preferably feltfaced for obtaining a softly yielding grip upon the paper, pe'rmitting'it to slip when ocoa-g sion'requires, but feeding it with sufliclent certainty to keep it smooth as'itpasses the creasing bladesQ For operating these rolls, 90, 90, there is provided upon the shaft'of the lower one a gear, 91,'Wl1l0h meshes with the gear, 26, the sizes of the gears, 91 and 26,

relatively to the diameters of the feed rolls, 27 and 90, being such as to cause thetwo feed rolls. 27 and 90, to have the same circumferential speed. platens, rolls, 92, 92, similar to the rolls, 90, 90. are'similarly positioned, one below and the other above the path of the paper. The

lowerroll, 92, is driven from the roll, 90, by a 'gear, 9l -meshing with the gear, 91, 0n

the shaft of the-roll, 90, and with an equal gear,"92 on the shaft of the roll,92.- The upper rolL 90 ,is carried in lever arms, 90,

90 extended from a shaft, 90, mounted in the end standards so that said 'roll,"90 presses positively upon the paper traveling above the-lower roll, 90; Somewhat similarlythe upper, roll, 92", is carried 'upon' spring aru1s."92 92, extended from: afixed standards. The pressure of the rolls, 9O and 92 is-adjusted as desired by setting the arms which carry "said" rolls on the shafts on which. they are respectively mounted as indicated by the set screws, 90 and 92*, re-

spectively. The spring arms which carry the roll, 92 cause the pressure exerted by that roll to be more yielding than that'exe'rted by the roll, JQ as is desirable in order-that the paper may yield slightlyif neoessaryjto At the delivery side of. theener's operating upon the return or idle plies of the belts,that is to say, the upper ply- "ofthe upper belt and thelower' ply of-the shaft, 92, similarly mounted in the end accommodate the creasing action. The rolls, 92, 92, guide and deliver the paper beyond the platens onto the ledge 9l, which is positioned beyond said rolls, 92,. 92 having its upper surface in the plane of the carrying surfacesof the paper feeding devices, or substantially so.

It will be understood that the paper emerges beyond the rolls, 92, upon the ledge, 10'

. above and below the path of the paper. A

description of either one will suflice for the other with slight exceptions which will be indicated as the description proceeds. The upper devices will be first described, the description applying equally to the lower except as to statement of direction up and down to a. certain point in the description which will be indicated. At a convenient distance from the plane of the papers path through the creasing devices, there are mounted in alinement with each other journaled in the opposite standards, 1 and 2, respectively short shafts, 100, extending transversely of the direction of travel of the paper parallel to the same, any convenient means being provided for rotating the shafts synchronously in fixed time relation to the shaft, 11, which operates the creasing blades. In the construction as illustrated, the shafts, 11 and 100, rotate at the same speed, rotation for rotation. Fast on each of the shafts, 100, at its inner end is a. cam disk, 102, which has a crank pin, 10?, at which there is connected a pitman, 108, whose end remote from the crank pin is guided in a vertical guide-way, 106, the end of the shaft, 105, hereinafter mentioned a ffording the engagement for such guidance. The remote sliding ends of the pitman from the cam disks on each of the shafts, 100, are connected by a pivotally mounted tucker, 105. having as many tucker fingers or blades, 104, or sub-blades as the maximum number of strips of creased paper at any time to issue from the creasing devices. Mounted on the main frame for reciprocating horizontally toward and from the vertical plane of the shaft, 100, and exterd ng across the path of thrust of the tucker blades on each of the standards at a position above and also at a position below the plane of the path of the paper more distant therefrom than half the length of the plies in which the paperis to be folded. there are mounted spring-retracted slides, 108 the two slides at correspondingly opposite positions on the two standards being connected intermediate their ends by a s l -m ltin guid -bar, lt ai liieh isrlongitudinally slotted for the thrust therethrough of the tucker blade, 10%. At 113, on each of the main frame standards, and about thelevel of the lower end of the guide-ways, 106, respectively, there are pivoted levers, 111, each carrying roll abutments, 111, for engagement by the periphery of the cam, 1'02, proximate thereto; the free ends of the levers being operatively connected by links, 112, with theproximate-slides, 108, for pulling said slides against the yielding resistance of the retracting springs, 109 toward the bumper, 120, hereinafter described, against which the folded paper is to be accumulated. A stop pin set in any one of the pin-holes, 108, with which each of the slides, 108, is provided, serves to limit the retraction of the slide by the pin encountering the near guide-bearing, 108". Except as stopped in this way, the springs, 109 operate to hold the roll abutments, 111, against the periphcries of the respective cams, 102, 102. The cam disk, 102, comprises two concentricportions, 102 and 102, differing in radius by the amount of the height of-the cam shoulder or comparatively abrupt slope, 102, which connects said two concentric portions at one point in the circumference, said two concentric portions being connected at a point in the circumference substantially or approximately opposite the comparatively ab rupt slope or shoulder, 102", by a more gradual slope, 102 These cams operate upon the lever link and slide systems, 111., 112, 109,- to cause the tucker blades to oscillate back and forth between the delivery side of the creasing devices and the'bumper in certain time relation to the thrust and retraction of the tucker blades derived from their connection with the crank pins, 107, on the cam disk. The roll abutment, 111 climbs the comparatively abrupt slope, 102, as the cam revolves, and runs down the gradual slope, 102 at a point about 180 degrees farther around in the revolution of the cam, and thereby the tuckers are given a comparatively abrupt swing toward the bumper and away from the delivery side of the creasing devices after the blades have been thrust respectively downward and upward and between the plies of the paper issuing from the creasing devices. The two tuckers, one thrust from above downward and the other thrust from below upward toward and into the path of the paper are thus oscillated back and forth toward and from the creasing de- .vices in, the intervals of their thrusting movement derived from the mechanism above descr bed for folding the paper in accordance with the creases and accumulating it thusfolded zig-zag in a com act pile against a bumper, 120. This is a boardposit onedvertically at a distance beyond the V delivery side of the-creasing device's and be- .1 the sweeago th iels a i s l ase at its lower edge upon a tabl e, 121, upon which is Slides, and extending from such table upward to an upper guide and check rail,

122, parallel with the table. Any convenient means may be provided for causing the bumper toyieldingly resist the pressure which packs the folded paper against it and to yield back upon proper pressure away from thecrea'si'ngdevices as the pile of zigzag folded paper is accumulated against it on the side toward the creasing devices. As illustrated the only means shown for such yielding resistance is the inertia due to the weight of the bumper, and the friction of the samealong its support; and usually this is quite suflicient'to cause the paper to be compactly accumulated. Stops, 125 and 126, are provided upon the table, 121, andthe top rail,122, respectively, to limit the ap proach of this'bumper to the creasing and tucking devices. These stops are preferably in the form of spring catches which have the further function of engaging the'folds'of the paper as they are pressed toward the bumper by the'tuckers, and holding them'while the tuckers withdraw and retreat for engaging the next fold. For this purpose they are attached respectively to'the table and to the top'bar, f

The operation of the tucking dGVICQS'IHFLY be understood fromthe foregoing description of the construction to be as follows:-'

Assuming the parts of the mechanism in the position shown in Fig. 5, with the upper tucker at its extreme position inward, that is, toward the creasing mechanism,'; the upper creaser is about to be thrust down by the cam, 12, for making the next crease which will be in the direction for producing a downwardly-extending fold'of the paper as it will be accumulated in the pile against the bumper,the last preceding crease having been made in the opposite direction and having resulted in the fold shown at a, the folded paper having been deflected-upward upon its emergence from between the rolls,

92, 92 as shown by'the lines indicating the position of the folded paper in Fig. 5, As the mechanism continues to operate from the position shown in this figure the "roll abutment, "111?, of the upper lever'lll", will climb the abrupt'slope or shoulder, 102, of the "cam disk and with-. draw the tucker guide and controlling bar, 108, abruptly away from the creasing mechanism, swinging the upper tucker, 104, toward the bumper and causing it to carry with, it the fold of paper previously located behind it, that is, between it and the bumper,pressing that ply of the paper upon the pile already accumulated agalnst the pumper, thus completing the crease which was partially made by the creaser and, causing the upper fold to pass the up per catch, 126, and become engaged behmdit.

In the continued operation of the mechanism the rotation of the shaft, 100, by means of the crank and pitman connection causes the tuckers to be withdrawn upward and downward respectlvely from between the folds of the paper, such withdrawal being 1 substantially direct,that is, without swinginglaterall'y toward or from the bumper while the concentric portions of the cams,

102, are rotating in contact with the abutments, 111 of the levers, 111 respectively. The two canis'are relatively positioned so that the gradual slope, 102 of the lower cam reaches the abutment, 111 of the lower lever a little before the corresponding slope, 102, of the upper cam reaches a corresponding positionwith respect to the upper link, and

the lower tucker is thereby swung over toward the creasing mechanism, carrying the upper end of the tucker past the lower fold of the paper a little before thesimilar operend of the upper tucker to be carried around the vupper fold'of the paper, and thereupon as the revolution of both the shafts, 100,

ation of the upper cam'causes the lower' continues, the lower tucker is thrust upward and theupper tucker thrust downward to engage respectively the next lower and the next-upper fold of the paper.

It willbe noted that the tuckers at then limit of their thrust toward the plane of the paper extend only slightly beyond that plane,'that is, the upper tucker extending slightly below 'it and the .lower tucker,

slightly above it; and it will be understood that this adapts it to tuck thepaper when it is folded in very short foldsand to 'engage these short'folds for compacting them' against the bumper;v It will be obviousthat the'table, 121, and the upper guide bar, 122,. are necessarily mounted so. as to be adjustedv toward the plane of the paper according to the width of the folds being made,that

is, so that the table is below that? plane and the guide bar above that plane a distance equal substantially to one-half the length of the paper plies or distance between the" folds. "PIOVlSlOll for such ad uStment is j by clamping bolts, 128, set in selected holes f madeon the standards, 1 and 2, respectively,

v, 115 of a vertical series of holes, 127', the bolts 1 taking through slots, 128, in thejbrackets, 129,'which carry the parts, 121 and'122', re

spective'ly', the'l'ength of said slots being as V great as thedistance between the'ho lespso' that any desired position of the parts, 121 and 122, can be secured. ii

In folding tissue paper orany other light paper too flexible to be relied upon to stand upright upon its folds while being compacted against the bumper, and liable, on the contrary, to slump down on'the table so as to defeat the proper piling of the'paper'as folded, it is desirable to provide means additional to or other than thetuckers for gathering the paper as folded into compact pile. For this purpose there may be provided extending horizontally above and below the delivery rolls, 92, 92 respectively, tubes, 150, 150, having at their outer sides, that is, the sides toward the bumper, a row of perforations, 150 for discharge of air against the paper folds asthey are delivered and deflected respectively up and down from the plane of the paper. These tubes are connected with a source of compressed air soas to direct and discharge jets of air against the paper and against the several strips thereof when it 1s cut in strips at proper time to cause the folds to be held snugly against the tuckers respectively While the tuckers are swinging toward the bumper preventing the folds from sagging or slipping do'wn whilethey are being packedcor piled. To cause the airy blast tostrike the paper at the proper point. to produce the result described, the apertures, 150, of the air pipes are positioned for directing the jets of air from the plane of emergence of the paperfrom between the feed rolls so as to intersect that plane a short. distance beyond theledge, 94;, asseenin Fig. 5. This air blast may be advantageously employed with paper heavy or stiff enough to be piled by the tuckers alone and it may be employed to the exclusion of the tuckers when operating upon quite heavy or stifi' paper.

.F or timing the air blasts to cause the effect above. described the air is. controlled by valves, 151*, 151*, in the pipes, 151, leading to the discharge tubes, 150, respectively, the valves. being operated for opening in proper time with the tucker movements, by cams, 152, 152. on the shafts, which carry the cam disks, 102, respectively. It should be understood that although the foregoingdescription assumes a horizontal position of the .paperas it passes through the creasing mechanism, and also assumes the folded product as accumulated against a vertical bumper, 120, this arrangement is not essential; for instance, the paper might be fed vertically downward through the creasing mechanism and accumulated upon a horizontally disposed bump er, 120, it being only necessary to provide, a yielding support for said bumper to replace the frictional engagement witlrits table, 121, for insuring compact accumulation of the folded product. also feasible to feed the paper through the creasing mechanism in. an oblique position downwardly toward an obliquely disposed bumper, andin some cases with such .an arrangement a part of the wall, 122, may be omitted to provide an opening.v through which the folded product may be removed at intervals as desired.

Iiclaimzc.

1., In a paper-folding; machine, inrcombie nation with paper-slitting apparatus com- It-is I prising cutting devices and paper-propelling devices which engage all the strips together after the paper has passed the cutting devices, paper-creasing devices positioned and extending across the width of all the strips and operating upon them all simultaneously and equally, and meansbeyond the creasing devices for delivering the creased paper i folded condition.

2. In a paper-folding machine, in conioir nation with a paper-supporting table, paper-slitting devices to which thepaper runs from the table, paper-feeding devices located beyond the slitting devices, paper-creasing devices located beyond thefpaper-feeding devices and extendingacross the widthof all the strips, means for actuating saidcreasing devices to cause them to operate simultaneously upon allthe strips, tucking do;

vices located beyond the creasing devices,

and means for actuating the tucking devices to cause them to operate simultaneously and equally upon all the strips. V

3. In a paper-folding machine, in combination with paper-feeding means, two nonfeeding platens independent of the feeding means in fixed position at opposite sides of the path of'the paper, having rifts opposed to. each other; creasingblades mounted in said platens respectively forv thrust into the rifts ofthe opposite platen, and means for actuating said creasing blades for thrusting them alternately into said opposite rifts while the paper is being fed between the platens. V V

,4. Inav papenfolding machine, means for creasing thepaper at transverse lines forfolding alternately in opposite directions,v

said creasing means comprislng rigid platens positioned at opposite sidesofthe path of the paper, spaced apart sufficiently to afford a free path for the paperbetween them; a creasingblade mounted in each of said platens for reciprocation across the path of the paper, springs which yieldingly resist the thrust of the bladestoward said path and tend to retract and, hold them out of the path; rotating cams operating upon said 5. In a paper-folding machine, creasing. mechanism comprising means for feeding the paper longitudinally, adapted to actuatethe same continuously at a pre-determined speed, rigid platens positioned at opposite sides of the path of the paper spaced apart sufiiciently to. afford a free path ;for the paper between them, each of said platens extending overthe whole width of the paper said'platens havi'n oppositely positioned rifts and creasing blades in-said rifts respectively adapted each to be thrust into the rift of the opposite platen, and "means for actuating saidcreasi'ng blades for so thrust the paper traveling from the feeding rolls and spaced apart to adord a path for the paper between them; creasing blades mounted in said platens respectively and extending through them in a direction transverse to the path of travel of the paper, heads mounted on said blades respectively, and guide-ways for the heads formed on the platens for guiding the blades in thrusting movement toward the path of the paper, springs operating upon the heads for retracting the blades from the paper; cams mounted for rotation at opposite ends of the platens respectively and operating upon Said heads for thrusting them in toward the path of the paper, and means for rotating said cams timed with respect to the paper feed mechanism and with respect to each other for alternately thrusting the creasing blades each into the rift of the opposite platen at pre-determined intervals in the travel of the paper.

7. In a paper-folding machine, in combi nation with paper-feeding rolls, paper-creasmg blades whose sole movement for creasmg 1s transverse to the direction of feed of the paper, a movement transmitting train in which the rolls and blades are actuated respectively for feeding and creasing the paper, said train comprising speed-changing devices situated in the train intermediate the elements thereof which directly actuate the feedrolls and the creasing blades; whereby the frequency of actuation of the blades with respect to the rate of feed of the paper above the rolls may be yaried by the adj ustmentof the feed-changing devices.

8. In a paper-folding machine, in combination with paper-feeding rolls, non-feeding paper-creasing devices, located along the path of the paper beyond the feeding rolls, and tucking devices located beyond the creasing devices; a movement transmitting train in which the feed rolls, the creasing devices and the tucking devices are actuated, and change-speed devices in said train between the feeding rolls and the creasing devices; the tucking devices being actuated in said train subsequent to the creasing devices; whereby the creasing and tucking clevices are operated in unchanging time relation to each other, and in variable time relation to the paper-feeding devices.

9; In "a paper-folding machine, in combination with means for feeding the paper and for creasing it alternately'inopposite direc tions, tucking and piling devices comprising two tucking blades mounted at opposite sides of the path ofthe paper beyond the creasing devices, two guides for each blade, one of said guides being fixed and-the other movable in direction substantially parallel to thepath of the paper; means for reciprocating thetucking-blades insaid guides, and means for reciprocating the movable guides transversely of the direction'of reciproca-' tion of said blades substantially at the limit of the said reciprocation of the blades.

10. In a paper-folding machine, in combination with means for feeding the paper and for creasing it alternately in opposite directions, tucking devices for folding the paper and piling it in accordance with the creasing, comprising two tuckers and two guides for the opposite ends respectively of each tucker v for controlling its reciprocation transversely of the path of movement of the paper, the guide which is nearer the path of the paper being mounted for reciprocation transversely to that of the tucker; a rotating shaft and connections therefrom for reciprocating the tuckers; a cam on said shaft, and connections by which the cam reciprocates the reciprocating guides. V

11. In a paper-folding machine, in combination with means for feeding the paper and for creasing it alternately in opposite directions transversely of the path of feed, means for folding it in accordance with the creasing, comprising two tuckers mounted at opposite sides ofthe path of the paper beyond the creasing devices for reciprocation across said path, guides for the remote ends of said tuckers positioned and formed to control the movement of said remote ends substantially ina direction at right angles to the path of the paper, guides for the tuckers respectively intermediate said remote ends and the operating ends mounted for reciprocation transversely of the direction of the reciprocation of the tuckers, springs operating upon said reciprocating guides for retracting them in one direction; rotating cams; operating connections for the re ciprocating guides operatively associated with the cams respectively; said cams having each an abrupt slope or shoulder for actuating the reciprocating guides abruptly in the first mentioned direction, and means operating upon the remotely guided end of the tuckers for reciprocating said ends in said remote guides.

V 12. In combination with the paper feeding devices and devices constructed for creasing the paper for folding alternately in opposite directions, means positioned in the path of emergence of the paper fromthe creasing devices which impedes its advance and causes it to start to fold in accordance with the creasing, a support beyond said impeding means extending transversely to the direction of emergence and advance of the paper against which the folded paper may be accumulated, and air blast devices positioned for discharging air blasts toward said support from points beyond the paper and respectively at opposite sides of the path of emergence; air pipes extending parallel to the plane of the papers path at opposite sides thereof respectively, having discharge apertures positioned for directing air blasts toward said support from lines situated in a plane transverse to said path of my hand at Chicago, Illinois, this 11th day 20 of January, 1916 a I LEWIS A. NICHOLS. I

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D, G. 

